Energy Efficient Lighting Products

Replace the light fixtures and lamps in your home that you use most often with ones that have earned the government's ENERGY STAR label. You will help preserve energy resources and reduce the risks of global warming while saving money.

Energy Efficient Light Fixtures

ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures are ideal for places where lights are left on for longer periods of time (more than 20 minutes). ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures and CFLs are perfect for hard to reach places because you don't need to replace the bulbs as often.

ENERGY STAR qualified indoor fixtures come with pin-based CFLs that use about 75 per cent less electricity than standard incandescent bulbs and last up to ten times longer. Their other benefits include:

• they use 1/4 of the energy of traditional lighting;
• savings on energy bills and bulb replacements, with bulbs that must last at least 10,000 hours (about seven years of regular use);
• distribution of light more efficiently than standard fixtures;
• convenient features such as dimming on some indoor models and automatic daylight shut-off and motion sensors on outdoor models;
• they can be found at most home centres, lighting showrooms, and specialty stores;
• a two year warranty (double the industry standard);
• they are available in hundreds of decorative styles including portable fixtures such as table, desk and floor lamps and hard-wired options such as front porch, dining room, kitchen ceiling and under-cabinet, ceiling, and chandeliers;
• they are available in a variety of attractive designs, colors and sizes.

ENERGY STAR qualified light fixtures use fluorescent GU-24 bulbs. GU-24 bulbs have integral ballasts, which means they can be used in any light fixture with a GU-24 socket. The GU-24 light bulb doesn't have the usual screw base, but has two bayonets/prongs protruding from the base. These insert into matching holes in the fixture's socket, and twist to lock into place. Twist and pull, and the bulbs come right out of the socket.The new GU-24 socket prevents substituting replacement lamps that are not energy efficient. Therefore when you replace existing fixtures with ENERGY STAR qualified models, energy savings are guaranteed.

Dimmer Switches

Install a dimmer switch to reduce a light fixture's electrical consumption by up to 20 per cent.

Other benefits include:

• less frequent bulb purchases and changes because dimmers greatly expand the lifespan of light bulbs;
• control of lighting in areas where fluorescent fixtures are not recommended, such as bathrooms;
• bathroom or hallway lights can be dimmed for small children or overnight guests;
• increased feeling of comfort and warmth in a room;
• there are specific CFLs designed for dimmer switches. Check the packaging to make sure you are buying the correct bulb for your needs.

LED Night Lights

Including their energy efficiency, there are many advantages to using LED night lights:

• safety: LED night lights are cool to the touch;
• long-lasting: use bulbs that last up to 50,000 hours;
• durable PVC shade and housing: LED night lights are more durable because there is no bulb or glass to break;
• versatility: they can be used anywhere;
• energy savings: most use less than one watt of electricity;
• variety: available in a variety of colours, shapes and sizes.

Compact Fluorescent Torchieres

A torchiere is a floor lamp that directs light upward and is then reflected off the ceiling for an indirect lighting effect. It is safer to replace inefficient halogen torchiere lamps with models that use ENERGY STAR qualified bulbs.

Halogen bulbs produce extreme heat that wastes energy and can be a fire hazard. The entire halogen fixture must be replaced because halogen bulbs cannot be replaced with CFLs.

Benefits to replacing your halogen torchiere:

• ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent torchieres are extremely energy efficient. They use approximately 70 per cent less electricity than halogen lamps.
• Compact fluorescent light bulbs last up to six times longer than halogen bulbs.
• Compact fluorescent torchieres are available in a variety of styles and finishes. Dimmable and tri-light lamps are also available.
• Halogen lamps operate at extremely high temperatures. A compact fluorescent replacement is much cooler which makes it a safer lighting option.
• A single ENERGY STAR qualified compact fluorescent torchiere can mean electricity savings of more than $130 over the lifetime of the bulb, or about $20 annually.*

* In comparison to 300-watt halogen to 55-watt compact fluorescent, in use 4 hours per day at $0.057/kWh.

Cost of Compact Fluorescent Torchieres

	Halogen Torchieres	ENERGY STAR Torchieres
Cost per year	$16.24–$48.71*	$4.47–$11.37*
Electricity consumption	300–500 watts	55–75 watts
Lamp temperature	371–593 C	38–93 C
Lamp life	1,000–2,000 hours	8,000–10,000 hours
*Depends on hours of operation of the lamp.